Wine dinners at Summer Lodge

Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa, the luxurious Relais & Châteaux hotel in Evershot, Dorset, is celebrated for many things – its tranquil rural location, gorgeously designed interiors, and the beautifully restful gardens – and was recently hailed by Tatler as one of Britain’s top twenty hotels.

Foremost among its many splendours is its restaurant, and on the first Tuesday of each month the skills of Chef Steven Titman (of whom Waitrose Magazine recently reported that ‘our dinner was worthy of a standing ovation’) are married to the extraordinary knowledge and experience of super Sommelier Eric Zwiebel in the now famous Summer Lodge Wine Dinners.

The dinners are masterminded by Eric, UK Sommelier of the Year, whose list of achievements in the arcane arts of the glass is far too long to rehearse here. It is probably sufficient to note that he recently fought off stiff competition to become France’s only representative in the ‘Best Sommelier in Europe’ competition in 2006. Focusing on a selected house or style, with a guest speaker to inform and entertain diners, these special evenings begin at 7.00 pm with an introduction to the selected wines. The following dinner includes a delicious 4-course menu specially created by Steven Titman to complement the 5 different wines (including apéritifs) showcased during the evening.

Having already built up a staunchly loyal clientele, the programme for 2007 looks set to place tables at an even higher premium.

TUESDAY 6 MARCH – £65
RHONE VALLEY,FRANCE
Featuring Vine Trail, specialists in wines from the best small family-owned domaines.

TUESDAY 3 APRIL – £75
POL ROGER, FRANCE
One of the few remaining family-owned Champagne houses, Pol Roger has an unrivalled reputation for consistently excellent quality.

TUESDAY 1 MAY – £65
JOSMEYER,FRANCE
Founded in 1854, since 2000 the Domaine has moved towards producing its soft, sensual wines through a full conversion to biodynamic culture.

TUESDAY 5 JUNE – £70
VIEUX TÉLÉGRAPHE,FRANCE
Named after a signal tower built on the Châteauneuf du Pape estate in 1792, third generation winemaker Henri Brunier created the special wine style of Vieux Télégraphe.

TUESDAY 3 JULY – £60
CHÂTEAU RIVES-BLANQUES,FRANCE
A family-run 30ha vineyard specialising in hand harvesting and organic winemaking at the cusp of Limoux's Atlantic and Mediterranean terroirs.

TUESDAY 7 AUGUST – £70
5 SOMMELIER’S DINNER
An evening of laughter with competition and prizes galore: Eric and his lieutenant Ben will be joined by three sommelier friends from some of the UK’s leading restaurants.

TUESDAY 4 SEPTEMBER – £70
VIGNE &VINI, ITALY
Producing wines in the Salento area of Puglia since 1921, today third generation winemaker and owner Cosimo Varvaglione is creating some truly remarkable wines.

TUESDAY 2 OCTOBER – £70
BOUCHARD FINLAYSON,SOUTH AFRICA
A small cellar dedicated to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines of outstanding quality from Walker Bay near Cape Town.

TUESDAY 6 NOVEMBER – £100
DOM PÉRIGNON,FRANCE
During the 17th century, the monk Dom Pérignon devoted his life to perfecting Champagne: three centuries later, the quest continues in the famous wine that bears his name.

TUESDAY 4 DECEMBER – £85
CHÂTEAU MUSAR, LEBANON
Established by Gaston Hochar in 1930, still a passionately run family business, Château Musar is one of the world’s least likely locations for world-class vintages.

For more detailed information, visit summerlodgehotel.com.